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IN the
interest of speeding up mineral exploration in the Davao
region, the Regional Development Council (RDC) XI
(Southern Mindanao) has urged the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to allow its
regional office to directly issue mineral-exploration
permits.
RDC XI
vice chairman and National Economic and Development
Authority (Neda) regional director Nicasio Angelo
Agustin said that by doing this, the country will now be
able to tap vast gold deposits in Compostela Valley,
estimated to cost $18 billion.
The vast
gold deposits in Compostela Valley prompted the RDC to
name the province as Davao Oriental’s mineral hub. Apart
from this, plans are also underway to build a railway
system that will connect the mining areas in the two
provinces to the port of Mati City, which has been
designated the region’s mineral port.
“Facilitating the issuance of mineral-exploration
permits is one of the ways the council will be pursuing
to successfully implement the region’s industry cluster
strategy, especially for mining,” said Agustin in a
statement.
“Cutting
down the time and cost of doing business with the
region’s mining industry could spark more investments
that will ultimately develop the industry and reduce
poverty in the two provinces,” he added.
The
recommendation of the RDC to the DENR will not only
contribute to the decentralization efforts of the
national government but is also in line with the newly
organized Regional Mineral Development Council XI
chaired by the regional executive director of DENR XI.
The RDC
is taking the development of its mining industry to
heart and has even organized a meeting for various
mining stakeholders through the Responsible Mining Forum
slated on August 7 and 8 in Davao City.
The
forum is a joint undertaking of RDC XI, the Mindanao
Business Council, and the DENR. It aims to provide a
venue for stakeholders to exchange views on how to
pursue the sustainable development of the region’s
mining industry.
With the
theme “Sustainable Regional Development Through a
Strengthened Mining Industry,” the two-day consultation
also intends to address the issues and gaps affecting
the implementation of the National Mineral Action Plan.
Agustin
also disclosed that all mining stakeholders in Mindanao
will be invited to ensure that wide-ranging issues can
be discussed.
He said
stakeholders would also be asked to identify strategies
that will accelerate investments in the region’s mining
industry and institutionalizing mechanisms to ensure
responsible mining.
The Neda
RDC chief emphasized that based on the recommendations
of the stakeholders, RDC XI will define the directives
to monitor the operations of mining firms, for the full
development of the industry.
These
directives, Agustin said, will ensure that the mining
firms take good care of the environment and address the
concerns of communities, especially the indigenous
peoples, who may be adversely affected by their mining
operations.
“The
fundamental rule is to sustain efforts to develop the
mining industry, but there is a need to protect the
environment through strict enforcement of mining laws
and policies that ensure the industry’s sustainable
development,” he said. |
